Tag printer apparatus

Abstract

A tag printer apparatus for printing, severing and feeding non-curled labels to sewing machines. The tag printer apparatus includes a base; a control assembly including a central processing unit mounted to the base and adapted to be energized by a power source, and also including a monitor in communication with the central processing unit; a dispensing assembly mounted upon the base for dispensing print material; a support assembly mounted upon the base and including a support member; a printer assembly slidably mounted upon the support member and in operable communication with the central processing unit; and a tag feeder assembly connected to the support member and in communication with the central processing unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tag printer apparatus comprising:
 a base; 
 a control assembly including a central processing unit mounted to the base and adapted to be energized by a power source, and also including a monitor in communication with the central processing unit; 
 a dispensing assembly mounted upon the base for dispensing print material; 
 a support assembly mounted upon the base and including a support member; 
 a printer assembly mounted upon the support member and in operable communication with the central processing unit; and 
 a tag feeder assembly connected to the support member and in communication with the central processing unit, wherein the tag feeder assembly includes a compressed air line in operable communication with the central processing unit and adapted to be connected to an air compressor for transmitting compressed air through the air compressed line and onto the tags as they are being fed to the tag feeder assembly to prevent the tags from being curled and skewed. 
 
     
     
       2. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing assembly includes a platform rotatably mounted upon the base. 
     
     
       3. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 2 , also including a spindle disposed vertically upon the platform for rotation therewith and for supporting a replaceable roll of the print material. 
     
     
       4. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 2 , wherein the dispensing assembly further includes guide rollers spaced apart and attached to the base and extending beyond a perimeter of the platform for carrying the print material being dispensed. 
     
     
       5. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 4 , also including a first sensor mounted to the base and disposed between the guide rollers and in communication with the central processing unit and adapted to correct disorientation of the print material being dispensed from the spindle. 
     
     
       6. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 5 , wherein the dispensing assembly also includes a pulley connected to the platform and a tension member carried by the pulley and further includes a first brush connected to the base to keep the replaceable roll of print material taut. 
     
     
       7. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 2 , wherein the support member includes a side wall vertically disposed and mounted to the base, wherein the support assembly also includes a first rail attached to the side wall and extending horizontally and lengthwise thereof. 
     
     
       8. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 7 , wherein the printer assembly includes a printer unit having a front end, a rear end and a printer assembly side wall and being in operable communication with the central processing unit and adapted to receive, print and sever the print material into tags and dispensed from the printer unit. 
     
     
       9. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 8 , wherein the printer unit also includes an entry port through the front end and an exit port through the rear end. 
     
     
       10. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 8 , wherein the printer assembly also includes a second rail attached to the printer assembly side wall and extending from near the rear end to the near the front end of the printer unit, wherein the second rail is mounted to the first rail. 
     
     
       11. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 10 , wherein the printer assembly further includes a first guide plate extending outwardly from the rear end and adjacent to the exit port of the printer unit. 
     
     
       12. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 11 , wherein the printer assembly also include a guide pin disposed at the rear end of the printer unit below the exit port to support a tag being dispensed from the printer unit, wherein the printer assembly further includes a second sensor disposed at the exit port of the printer unit and in communication with the central processing unit and adapted to detect the tag being dispensed from the printer unit. 
     
     
       13. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 8 , wherein the printer assembly includes a fan mounted to the front end of the printer unit and also includes a filter mounted over the fan to prevent outside dust particles from entering the printer unit and to exhaust inside dust particles from inside the printer unit. 
     
     
       14. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 11 , wherein the support member also includes a top wall mounted upon the side wall and having a main portion and an end portion angled from the main portion. 
     
     
       15. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 14 , wherein the tag feeder assembly includes a bracket attached to the end portion of the top wall with a second guide plate adjustably depending from the bracket and with a second brush also adjustably depending from the bracket adjacent to the second guide plate to hold the tag to feed the tag to the tag feeder assembly; wherein the second guide plate adjustably overlaps the first guide plate and is movable horizontally relative to the first guide plate depending upon the width of the tag being dispensed from the exit end of the printer unit. 
     
     
       16. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 15 , wherein the compressed air line is adjustably depending from the bracket and disposed adjacent to the exit port of the printer and in operable communication with the central processing unit and adapted to be connected to an air compressor for transmitting compressed air through the air compressed line and onto the tags as they are being moved along the first and second guide plates to prevent the tags from being curled and skewed. 
     
     
       17. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 15 , wherein the tag feeder assembly also includes a feeder arrangement appended to the end portion of the support member and including a power source and feeder rollers connected to the power source and adapted for feeding the tags from the printer unit to a sewing machine for sewing the tags to packaging materials. 
     
     
       18. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 17 , wherein the tag feeder assembly further includes a feeder guide in communication at an end of the feeder arrangement and in alignment with the feeder rollers. 
     
     
       19. The tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 18 , wherein the feeder guide includes a mounting plate in communication at the end of the feeder arrangement, a bracket member mounted to the mounting plate, a roller support member connected to the bracket member, guide rollers mounted to the roller support member, a biased support member mounted upon the mounting plate and a spring connected to the biased support member and to the roller support member for biasing the guide rollers which are spaced from and aligned with the feeder rollers and adapted to further guide the tags to the sewing machine. 
     
     
       20. The tag printer apparatus of  claim 1  further wherein the on demand tag feeder assembly is an on demand tag feeder assembly which is operatively connected to a bag sensing device permitting the printing of a second tag as the fed tag is dispensed on demand. 
     
     
       21. A method of using a tag printer apparatus comprising the steps of:
 providing a base, a central processing unit, a support assembly mounted to the base, a printer unit mounted upon the support assembly, and tag feeder assembly mounted to the support assembly; 
 feeding a replaceable roll of print material through the printer unit whereupon the print material is printed and severed into tags; 
 preventing the tags from curling and jamming as they are fed to the tag feeder assembly by directing compressed air onto the tags as they are being fed from the printer unit to the tag feeder assembly; and 
 feeding the tags to a sewing machine whereupon the tags are attached to packaging materials. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of using the tag printer apparatus as described in  claim 21  further comprising blowing compressed air onto the tags as they are being fed along first and second guide members to the tag feeder assembly to prevent the tags from curling and jamming. 
     
     
       23. A tag printer apparatus comprising:
 a printer assembly for printing a tag; 
 a support mechanism to support the tag as it is being printed and fed to a tag feeder assembly; 
 a device for preventing curling and jamming of the tag as it is fed to the tag feeder assembly, wherein the tag feeder assembly includes a compressed air line in operable communication with the central processing unit and adapted to be connected to an air compressor for transmitting compressed air through the air compressed line and onto the tags as they are being fed to the tag feeder assembly to prevent the tags from being curled and skewed. 
 
     
     
       24. The tag printer apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the device for preventing curling and jamming is the compressed air line which blows compressed air onto the tag as it is being supported by the support mechanism and fed to the tag feeder assembly.